Windows 8 is now avaialable to MDSN and TechNet subscribers. We are in the process of moving all the threads in the Windows 8 forums to a new "Pre-release" forum. This process is expected to happen today (8/15/2012) around 3pm Pacific time, so please bear with us as these are moved.

Windows 7 Installation, Setup, and Deployment announcements

October 31, 2014, is the end of license (EOL) date for Windows 7 Ultimate, Windows 7Home Premium, and Windows 7 Home Basic. After this date, system builders willno longer be able to order these products from authorized distributors. Windows7 Professional will continue to be available from authorized distributors untilits EOL date is announced.

The Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit makes it easy to assess your current IT infrastructure for a variety of technology migration projects. This Solution Accelerator provides a powerful inventory, assessment, and reporting tool to simplify the migration planning process.

Windows 7 Application Compatibility announcements

Are you making plans to deploy Windows 7 in your enterprise in the next 6 – 18 months? Are your plans being delayed or complicated by applications that will not work on Windows 7? Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Virtualization (MED-V) can be used to address the “compatibility gaps” of your enterprise and accelerate the move to Windows 7.

Windows Virtual PC and XP Mode announcements

Are you making plans to deploy Windows 7 in your enterprise in the next 6 – 18 months? Are your plans being delayed or complicated by applications that will not work on Windows 7? Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Virtualization (MED-V) can be used to address the “compatibility gaps” of your enterprise and accelerate the move to Windows 7.

Windows 7 Optimized Desktop Deployment Proof of Concept announcements

The Desktop POC Kit v2.0 is a customer focused offering available as free download via the Microsoft download center (http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9728107). The kit enables customers to drive an accelerated desktop deployment by providing a ready to run deployment server with the full suite of Microsoft desktop deployment tools installed and ready to use.

The Desktop POC Kit v2.0 provides enhancements and new products to the POC kit. This version of the POC kit introduces 2 new technical modules. These new modules are “Managing Desktop Policies” which features the Security Compliance Manager tool and product security baselines to drive rapid implementation of Microsoft recommended group policy settings. The other new module is the “Zero Touch Deployment” module which features deployment using the zero touch deployment method using System Center Configuration Manager.

The updated version of the POC also brings additional products to the deployed desktops. The following products are now included in the POC kit:

·Visio Premium 2010

·Forefront

·Project Professional 2010

The kit provides new features increasing the value of the kit. These features include:

·Visio deployment dashboard – single view of all deployment tools and deployment progress

The existing Desktop POC v2 content has been updated to provide increased understanding of the deployment process. This includes improvements in the technical execution guidance providing deeper explanations and providing improved explanations of why the actions are required. The technical tools are also updated to the latest available versions.

The following recaps what is delivered on the POC deployment server:

·Assessment/Compat Tools

oMicrosoft Assessment & Planning Toolkit 5.5

oApplication Compatibility Toolkit 5.6

oOffice Migration Planning Manager 2010 Update 1 Beta

oOffice Environment Assessment Tool 2010 Update 1 Beta

oOffice Compatibility Code Inspector 2010 Update 1 Beta

·Image Build

oSecurity Compliance Manager

oMicrosoft Deployment Toolkit 2010 Update 1

oOffice Customization Tool & Config.xml

·Image Deployment

oMicrosoft Deployment Toolkit 2010 Update 1

oSystem Center Configuration Manager 2007 R3

·Supporting products

oWindows Server 2008 R2

oSQL Server 2008 R2

oForefront Server

oMicrosoft Office 2010

oVisio Premium 2010

oCustom Visio deployment dashboard

·The Desktop POC provides and is ready to the deploy the following components to connected clients in the POC environment

Now that Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 has been released, this forum is now marked read-only. This enables users to search, but not post. If you have any questions, please ask your questions in the other Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 forums.

Today we are proud to announce the Release to Manufacturing of Service Pack 2 for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008. Service Pack 2 (SP2) represents the latest step in Microsoft’s commitment to continuous improvement. It includes all of the updates that have been delivered since SP1, as well as support for new types of hardware and emerging hardware standards. And since it comes with a single installer for both Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008, SP2 will be easy for IT Pros to manage, deploy, and support. For an overview of the changes introduced in SP2, check out the notable changes document.

Business customers with Windows Vista will find that the transition to Windows 7 will be significantly more straightforward due to the high degree of compatibility between Windows Vista and Windows 7. If your Windows Vista SP1 deployment is already underway we recommend you continue with SP1 as planned. Then you can deploy SP2 using your systems management infrastructure. If you are in the early stages of deployment or still planning Windows Vista deployment our best advice is that you plan on testing and deploying Windows Vista SP2.

Windows Vista Application Compatibility Toolkit announcements

ACT 5.5 allows you to assess Windows 7 and IE8 compatibility, control information sent to the Compatibility Exchange, and label data collection packages by role. Want the inside scoop? Check out this Springboard Series blog interview with Jeremy Chapman, Windows Senior Product Manager.

Windows 8 is now avaialable to MDSN and TechNet subscribers. We are in the process of moving all the threads in the Windows 8 forums to a new "Pre-release" forum. This process is expected to happen today (8/15/2012) around 3pm Pacific time, so please bear with us as these are moved.

Windows 7 Installation, Setup, and Deployment announcements

October 31, 2014, is the end of license (EOL) date for Windows 7 Ultimate, Windows 7Home Premium, and Windows 7 Home Basic. After this date, system builders willno longer be able to order these products from authorized distributors. Windows7 Professional will continue to be available from authorized distributors untilits EOL date is announced.

The Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit makes it easy to assess your current IT infrastructure for a variety of technology migration projects. This Solution Accelerator provides a powerful inventory, assessment, and reporting tool to simplify the migration planning process.

Windows 7 Application Compatibility announcements

Are you making plans to deploy Windows 7 in your enterprise in the next 6 – 18 months? Are your plans being delayed or complicated by applications that will not work on Windows 7? Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Virtualization (MED-V) can be used to address the “compatibility gaps” of your enterprise and accelerate the move to Windows 7.

Windows Virtual PC and XP Mode announcements

Are you making plans to deploy Windows 7 in your enterprise in the next 6 – 18 months? Are your plans being delayed or complicated by applications that will not work on Windows 7? Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Virtualization (MED-V) can be used to address the “compatibility gaps” of your enterprise and accelerate the move to Windows 7.

Windows 7 Optimized Desktop Deployment Proof of Concept announcements

The Desktop POC Kit v2.0 is a customer focused offering available as free download via the Microsoft download center (http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9728107). The kit enables customers to drive an accelerated desktop deployment by providing a ready to run deployment server with the full suite of Microsoft desktop deployment tools installed and ready to use.

The Desktop POC Kit v2.0 provides enhancements and new products to the POC kit. This version of the POC kit introduces 2 new technical modules. These new modules are “Managing Desktop Policies” which features the Security Compliance Manager tool and product security baselines to drive rapid implementation of Microsoft recommended group policy settings. The other new module is the “Zero Touch Deployment” module which features deployment using the zero touch deployment method using System Center Configuration Manager.

The updated version of the POC also brings additional products to the deployed desktops. The following products are now included in the POC kit:

·Visio Premium 2010

·Forefront

·Project Professional 2010

The kit provides new features increasing the value of the kit. These features include:

·Visio deployment dashboard – single view of all deployment tools and deployment progress

The existing Desktop POC v2 content has been updated to provide increased understanding of the deployment process. This includes improvements in the technical execution guidance providing deeper explanations and providing improved explanations of why the actions are required. The technical tools are also updated to the latest available versions.

The following recaps what is delivered on the POC deployment server:

·Assessment/Compat Tools

oMicrosoft Assessment & Planning Toolkit 5.5

oApplication Compatibility Toolkit 5.6

oOffice Migration Planning Manager 2010 Update 1 Beta

oOffice Environment Assessment Tool 2010 Update 1 Beta

oOffice Compatibility Code Inspector 2010 Update 1 Beta

·Image Build

oSecurity Compliance Manager

oMicrosoft Deployment Toolkit 2010 Update 1

oOffice Customization Tool & Config.xml

·Image Deployment

oMicrosoft Deployment Toolkit 2010 Update 1

oSystem Center Configuration Manager 2007 R3

·Supporting products

oWindows Server 2008 R2

oSQL Server 2008 R2

oForefront Server

oMicrosoft Office 2010

oVisio Premium 2010

oCustom Visio deployment dashboard

·The Desktop POC provides and is ready to the deploy the following components to connected clients in the POC environment

Now that Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 has been released, this forum is now marked read-only. This enables users to search, but not post. If you have any questions, please ask your questions in the other Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 forums.

Today we are proud to announce the Release to Manufacturing of Service Pack 2 for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008. Service Pack 2 (SP2) represents the latest step in Microsoft’s commitment to continuous improvement. It includes all of the updates that have been delivered since SP1, as well as support for new types of hardware and emerging hardware standards. And since it comes with a single installer for both Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008, SP2 will be easy for IT Pros to manage, deploy, and support. For an overview of the changes introduced in SP2, check out the notable changes document.

Business customers with Windows Vista will find that the transition to Windows 7 will be significantly more straightforward due to the high degree of compatibility between Windows Vista and Windows 7. If your Windows Vista SP1 deployment is already underway we recommend you continue with SP1 as planned. Then you can deploy SP2 using your systems management infrastructure. If you are in the early stages of deployment or still planning Windows Vista deployment our best advice is that you plan on testing and deploying Windows Vista SP2.

Windows Vista Application Compatibility Toolkit announcements

ACT 5.5 allows you to assess Windows 7 and IE8 compatibility, control information sent to the Compatibility Exchange, and label data collection packages by role. Want the inside scoop? Check out this Springboard Series blog interview with Jeremy Chapman, Windows Senior Product Manager.

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